shafnutz05 wrote:Alec Baldwin isn't being condemned because he is one of their own. Period.

What does that even mean?

His long term status as a prominent Democratic activist has bought him a lot more leeway than, say, Paula Deen, for example. It's the party of tolerance, so surely it was a momentary slip and not an indicator that he is actually a bigoted puke.

well, let's not get revisionist with the timeline here. it's not like she was a saint who said a word, and then was chased like frankenstein's monster by torch-wielding villagers until The Food Network was forced to fire her over public outcry...

She was an employee on already tenuous ground due to several incidents bringing in bad PR... then she was sued, and a small part of that suit was that she apparently once used a racial slur. Her employers decided not to renew her existing contract. She was not fired for using the N-word... at the absolute worst, the scandal surrounding it was just the straw that broke the camel's back.

shafnutz05 wrote:Alec Baldwin isn't being condemned because he is one of their own. Period.

What does that even mean?

i think he means it's a Left v Right thing?

WOW! Direct from GLAAD's Vice President of Communications, Rich Ferraro:

Alec Baldwin is making it clear that the intent behind his tweets does not excuse his language, especially at a time when there were 11 incidents of violence against gay men in New York City just last month. As we all work to end such senseless acts of violence, allies like Baldwin are right to use these moments to reinforce support for the community and LGBT equality.

Alec Baldwin is making it clear that the intent behind his tweets does not excuse his language, especially at a time when there were 11 incidents of violence against gay men in New York City just last month. As we all work to end such senseless acts of violence, allies like Baldwin are right to use these moments to reinforce support for the community and LGBT equality.

Is this for real?

I hope this is obvious enough for everyone. "Allies..." 100% hypocrisy.

Alec Baldwin is making it clear that the intent behind his tweets does not excuse his language, especially at a time when there were 11 incidents of violence against gay men in New York City just last month. As we all work to end such senseless acts of violence, allies like Baldwin are right to use these moments to reinforce support for the community and LGBT equality.

Is this for real?

I hope this is obvious enough for everyone. "Allies..." 100% hypocrisy.

I hope you aren't being overly critical of the use of the word allies. Allies are heterosexual individuals who support and advocate for the rights of the LGBT community. I don't know anything about Alec Baldwin but my guess is that since GLAAD has labeled him as an ally, he has done something to be identified as such. All Allies aren't going to be perfect, and many LGBT communities/clubs across the country hold alliship workshops to help people understand what it means to be an ally for this reason. Apparently Alec Baldwin could use a lesson.

Edit: I should mention the allyship workshops and difficulties usually come with the trans community.

Alec Baldwin is making it clear that the intent behind his tweets does not excuse his language, especially at a time when there were 11 incidents of violence against gay men in New York City just last month. As we all work to end such senseless acts of violence, allies like Baldwin are right to use these moments to reinforce support for the community and LGBT equality.

Is this for real?

I hope this is obvious enough for everyone. "Allies..." 100% hypocrisy.

I hope you aren't being overly critical of the use of the word allies. Allies are heterosexual individuals who support and advocate for the rights of the LGBT community. I don't know anything about Alec Baldwin but my guess is that since GLAAD has labeled him as an ally, he has done something to be identified as such. All Allies aren't going to be perfect, and many LGBT communities/clubs across the country hold alliship workshops to help people understand what it means to be an ally for this reason. Apparently Alec Baldwin could use a lesson.

Edit: I should mention the allyship workshops and difficulties usually come with the trans community.

No, according to most here, for him to use that word on the reporter (even one time) means he had some really deepseeded hatred going on here.

columbia wrote:I use white trash all the time: I'm a cultural bigot, not a racist.

A slur is a slur. White trash specifically targets white people. Redneck, cracker, honky, etc are all used as well. There is no commonly used phrase of "black trash". The N word (hilarious I have to edit that while I can use all the white slurs in their full spelling as I please) targets black people (is it ok to use that term?) the exact same way those other terms specifically target white people (PC: caucasians). The vast majority of people who do use the N word don't really care what the historical background of the word is, it's just used to hurt and there's at least one (and for some races many) that is effective and will always be. That applies to any slurs against any population of people through races, credence, religions, and sex. When I called that girl white trash, I knew it'd hit her hard and God knows it definitely did and that's why it felt so great because in the instance, I felt it was called for. I don't hate white people (as a whole). I don't hate white people from the country. I don't hate white people who live in trailers. I don't hate rich white people. I don't hate black people (as a whole). I don't hate Italians and the Polish as easy as it is to make jokes and slurs against them. I think a big portion of people, most of which I'm sure are relatively respectable individuals, every once in awhile just like to let loose and offend somebody if the situation calls for it. I see no problem with that. If the situation does not call for offense and a big deal is made, I'd like to see it be made regardless of color, sex, religion, etc. Unfortunately in our country, it's not that way and likely will never be that way.

cma3585 wrote:No, according to most here, for him to use that word on the reporter (even one time) means he had some really deepseeded hatred going on here.

To use racial or homophobic slurs directed at an individual, means you probably do have some prejudices or cultural biases from a certain community that you have to work through. But that's just my opinion. I think most people in this thread would say they are an ally to the black community (yes, that is a thing to be). Where you want to make sure that everyone has equal rights, isn't treated poorly based on race, etc. even if you may have different ideas as to how governments should be involved. It has become apparent that most of you have also used the n-word, or think you would at some point if angry at an individual. However, it doesn't change the fact that you want to be an ally to the community. It just means you have to recognize that using such language could be a problem for the community and you yourself might have some prejudices to work through to be a better ally. It's the same thing with Alec Baldwin. He is still considered an ally to the LGBT community since he supports that community. But, he obviously he still has some other things to work on to becoming a better ally. He needs to become more aware of the use of slurs and how they hurt individuals and the community at large.

cma3585 wrote:No, according to most here, for him to use that word on the reporter (even one time) means he had some really deepseeded hatred going on here.

No, but that does nicely sum up the double standard. In so many cases, others deemed not allies of the cause who have used a slur once on record are excoriated as if they are life-long enemies, while others such as AB who get caught red handed spitting out a slur in full venomous spectacle are not only given a pass, but are defended.

cma3585 wrote:No, according to most here, for him to use that word on the reporter (even one time) means he had some really deepseeded hatred going on here.

No, but that does nicely sum up the double standard. In so many cases, others deemed not allies of the cause who have used a slur once on record are excoriated as if they are life-long enemies, while others such as AB who get caught red handed spitting out a slur in full venomous spectacle are not only given a pass, but are defended.

Do you have any example to cite for this double standard? Are you really putting Deen in the one category versus Baldwin in the other, because they don't really line up as on par. You seem to be ignoring things to try to make your point. The biggest way that Deen has been excoriated is that she was dropped by Food Network. Strictly a business decision. Not about lifelong enemies, but about what is best for Food Network's bottom line. That's all they care about. It also ignores the other things Deen has done that have been pointed out (hypocrisies in her line of work, "plantation wedding," being part of a sexual harassment lawsuit, "can't see you standing against the dark board"), and this this is just one more thing. Baldwin, to my knowledge, has made his one slur against gays and is being given more of a pass because of being an ally in the past.

In almost all cases, there is a reason people aren't deemed "allies" of certain causes.

shmenguin wrote:yeah...i think froggy's right. some people really just want to be able to use the N word.

This is such a hollow argument. I haven't seen one person post that they should be able to spout racial slurs freely.

This discussion is about two things:

1) Whether Paula Dean is racist. But more importantly whether using the "n-word", a few select times, over a course of 60 years makes you a racist.

But more importantly:

2) Whether or not it's OK for some people to use other racially motivated words just because they themselves are a "protected class".

I welcome any of you to come to NYC. In NYC a blond white male is most definitely in the minority. When I take the subway I'm almost certain to be the only blond white male in the entire car.

Privileged my ass.

I was flying from Tulsa to NY on Friday night and the flight was delayed three hours. I knew that I was going to miss my connecting flight in Atlanta. There was a crowd of people at the ticket counter trying to re-book. The guy in front of me was a 30 something business type of Indian/Pakistan background who told the agent that his final destination was JFK, just like mine. The Black agent gave him a voucher for a hotel room. When I got to the same agent he told me that he couldnt issue a voucher because it was delayed due to weather. I told him that I had heard him give the other individual a hotel voucher. He told me that the system wouldn't let him give me one but let him give the other passenger one.

It wasn't until I told him that I was going to insist on "equal treatment" that he finally pretended to go back and speak to his supervisor (what? Am I buying a used car or something?)

I could share story after story after story on the times I have been treated differently because I was a middle aged white male.

Race shouldn't EVER be used as a reason for special/reduced treatment. There's NO special exemption for African Americans.

Alec Baldwin is making it clear that the intent behind his tweets does not excuse his language, especially at a time when there were 11 incidents of violence against gay men in New York City just last month. As we all work to end such senseless acts of violence, allies like Baldwin are right to use these moments to reinforce support for the community and LGBT equality.

Is this for real?

I hope this is obvious enough for everyone. "Allies..." 100% hypocrisy.

I hope you aren't being overly critical of the use of the word allies. Allies are heterosexual individuals who support and advocate for the rights of the LGBT community. I don't know anything about Alec Baldwin but my guess is that since GLAAD has labeled him as an ally, he has done something to be identified as such. All Allies aren't going to be perfect, and many LGBT communities/clubs across the country hold alliship workshops to help people understand what it means to be an ally for this reason. Apparently Alec Baldwin could use a lesson.

Edit: I should mention the allyship workshops and difficulties usually come with the trans community.

He's not an ally... he's a bully. I don't think someone that believes in an equal position in society for LGBT would indicate that a homosexual man would enjoy what he suggested he would enjoy.

I don't know if it really matters whether she is a racist, but limiting it to her use of the n word doesn't really tell her situation fully.

That's a fair and accurate statement.

I think the way this discussion (not just on LGP) has morphed into whether or not the use of the "n-word" indicates racism (as it seemed the attorney was doing), is misguided at best. It's sort of like asking someone "When did you stop beating your wife"?